Don’t give up. There can be hope in the midst of chronic pain. Create a new chronic pain perspective.

Category: chronic pain

I memorized this verse a very long time ago when I was teaching a Sunday school class for 1st graders. It’s a simple verse that even the kids could memorize.

How can a Bible verse help you in today’s world? If your hope is in Him, you know there will be a glorious day when all the pain ends. That’s literally what keeps me going every morning when I wake up.

I do not believe meditating on a Bible verse relieves chronic pain.

Every morning I’m usually in the same amount of pain when I wake up. It’s not easy to keep going, but my hope is not from this world. Knowing there will be an end to the pain gives me the hope I need to continue my life.

It is like a birth. You know at the end of the pain there will be a reward of a baby when it is over.

I choose to look at my salvation in that way also. Life is hard with physical and emotional pain. This world is not our world. We will feel pain of all kinds, but there is a reward much greater than we can imagine.

This verse helps me trust in God giving me peace so that I can focus on what is important, helping others, instead of worrying.

Do you have a Bible verse that carries you through hard times? Please share. It could encourage someone else. You never know the impact you can make by reaching out to help others.

I met with someone from my House of Representative’s office yesterday afternoon about how chronic pain affects our lives.

I think it went well. I presented the information in four parts: life with chronic pain after the CDC recommendations, addiction, chronic pain, and suicide, and legislative solutions. He seemed to listen and wrote a few things down.

I have done what I can by having this meeting. What this office does with the information is up to them. I don’t know if I made a difference or not, but I hope that they will remember our meeting when any legislation involving pain and pain research comes up.

I think everyone should do this kind of thing at least once even though it’s not easy to do for someone with a chronic illness. It took me many emails and three months to have the time to put together a notebook of information to leave with their office.

I am not naive thinking this one chat with my Congressman’s office will make an immediate difference. We have an unbelievably tangled mess with the opioids, chronic pain, and why people become addicted. To fix these colliding emergencies will not be easy.

I “put my drop in the bucket,” so to speak. Other people need to do the same, or the bucket will never be filled with individual drops that make it overflow showing a need for action by our government to protect people with pain.

We need to be brave by speaking out, especially about the need for expedited pain research. Everyone might as well get comfortable with the turning tide on opioids. It is not going away.

If anyone wants ideas or information about how to speak to your congressman, please message me. I will be glad to help you make a difference in the chronic pain community.

“The most beautiful people are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have still found their way out of the depths. These people have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” ——Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

We cannot control the things that happen to us, but we can grow through the pain when bad things happen. There is a purpose, but you cannot see it yet. He will bring good out of the most difficult situations.

The struggle up the mountain is difficult and challenging, but at the top is a view that is unimaginable. Keep fighting the fight and win the race.

Overcoming struggles is what make us strong. We weren’t born brave. We develop it through trials, and sometimes those trials seem so unfair. I always try to remember this is not the world that God intended for us.

Rest in knowing you are being transformed. Every defeat that brought you down, the suffering that made you feel weak, the struggles to get through each day, and every loss that broke your heart will be used for good.

Who can you reach out to today with compassion and help them on their journey and bring beauty from your pain by helping others with your own experiences?

I hope you will do that this week because everyone needs to hear the encouraging, “You got this.”

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.” —-Bob Marley

I wanted to share this quote I found today that might help someone with their daily struggles with chronic illness.

“I choose joy… I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical…the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.” ——Max Lucado, Upwords

Circumstance.

Perspective.

Two significant words in this world today for everyone, not just people with chronic pain.

We cannot be ruled by our circumstances. Our lives are easier to live when we look for the beauty in our broken parts and in the world and when we accept where we are at in that point in time.

However, our perspectives do rule our lives, and it is something we can work on changing.

Some people get angry when the talk is about “controlling pain with your mind.” No, I do not believe you can control your pain with your mind. But I do believe the journey can be lighter with a change in our mindset.

Today, find one thing that is good in your life and praise Him for it.

I have been sitting at my desk just staring.I am exhausted, but I’m still trying to keep going.It has been a little over one week since I began preparing for Hurricane Florence to hit us.

The storm nailed our area. Went right over us. We are ok, thank God, but so many other lives have been completely devastated.

I cannot imagine the pain that people all around me are in today. I am really sad today even though we have been spared the worst. I’m sad for what the people with pain are going through trying to survive if they lost their homes, their medicines, or other medical devices.

I know that BCBSNC has a healthline for it’s members in North Carolina 1-877-477-2424.

There is also free for this area MDs live through Teladoc 1-855-756-8708 & MDLive 1-888-959-9516 .

Also, call Magellen for national crisis line for help in this area 1-800-327-7451

Like everyone else, I pushed my body way past the breaking point, and then some, to do what we had to do.I wanted to keep mom comfortable while power was out. Being 83 years old, I was more concerned about her with the heat than anything else.

We cooked some really great food on the grill during the storm.I’m sure I gained 15 pounds. Hot eggs with sausage and english muffins each morning is not bad. This picture was during the calm after the storm. We didn’t take the time to take pictures of the other meals but believe me, we ate good. So, thankful.

We are so blessed with only water damage from the roof leaking, so that makes me feel guilty for even thinking about feeling bad at this moment while looking out the window at the perfectly Carolina blue sky.

A couple of my friends bailed and can’t get back.One friend is stuck with only 5 gallons of gas a neighbor graciously gave them because someone siphoned my friend’s gas out of their truck. Another good friend’s daughter lost everything of hers and her three children.

On a happier note, we have some really great neighbors across the street that stood in line for a long time to go in groups of ten at a time into the grocery store to get food for all of us.

At the same time they were there, we were also able to get out on one road to a small town with a small Walmart.The shelves were empty, but they had water. While the store was extremely packed and busy, everyone was being polite and helpful even though we were all worried about getting back to our homes because of the continuing down pour and the fact that the flood waters were rising fast.

When the worst of the storm was over for us, we were able to help other friends out with gas, water, and food.I have seen first hand how a disaster brings out the best in people, but I would like to catch the thief that stole gas from my friend!

A note about the support group and advocacy work:

I sent a proposal to a new church about using their facilities for our meetings. The storm will likely slow down the progress of it being approved. I will just need to have patience.

Even before the hurricane, the physical pain put me in bed many times during the day leaving me unable to get things completed.

It is very hard to get anything started, much less finished because I must stop in the middle of something because my body starts saying “no more!”My mind won’t stop thinking about all the things I am trying to accomplish while I am laying there staring at the ceiling.

I ordered a mobile desk that I thought would slide under the bed. I was hoping to continue working on the computer with the tilted desk slid under, but it did not work.It wasn’t long enough to put the computer right in front of me. I thought I had found a solution to laying flat and working on the computer. I will figure it out, but it is frustrating to lay in bed with ideas of things that need to be accomplished.

Before the hurricane hit, I had an appointment with this area’s director for my Congressman to discuss the future of people with chronic pain. Of course, Hurricane Florence changed that, too. It will take time before this can be followed up on because his first priority right now is the victims of Hurricane Florence.

Someone recently told me it’s ALL baby steps. That’s what life is.It is short-stride baby steps every step of the way. With this storm, the people in North Carolina and South Carolina will become strong again.We will just do it with baby steps. #NorthCarolinaStrong

Wow, I really have felt this quote the past few weeks. Every day I wake up living with chronic pain, I have to find my strength to get back up and do it all over again. Without a focus, living this way causes depression in me, so I have been putting all my attention on starting the support group and getting my office put back together. This has created less time for the blog. I may be posting less, but I am still here.

I wanted to post this for those that just keep moving no matter what, keep putting one foot in front of the other, just keep going, regardless of their circumstances. You are strong fighters working through hard, painful things every day. I know what you are going through every day. You aren’t alone. Just keep moving.

Echoin’ inside your head
Are the words that your sweet momma said
“Shoot for the moon, my dear”
So you took aim out of this atmosphere
Between high stakes and pump fakes
You’re feelin’ like you can’t buy a break
I can hold your hand, but I can’t turn your eyes to freedom

I know your heart been broke again
I know your prayers ain’t been answered yet
I know you’re feeling like you got nothing left
Well, lift your head, it ain’t over yet, ain’t over yet so

Hold on, hold on
Lord ain’t finished yet
Hold on, hold on
He’ll get you through this
Hold on, hold on

These are the promises
I never will forget
I never will forget, so

Hold on, hold on
The Lord ain’t finished yet
Hold on, hold on
He’ll get you through this
Hold on, hold on
These are the promises
I never will forget
I never will forget

I know your heart been broke again
I know your prayers ain’t been answered yet
But it ain’t over yet, it ain’t over yet

So get up and move, keep walkin’ soldier keep movin’ on
Move, keep walkin’ until the mornin’ comes
Move, keep walkin’ soldier keep movin’ on
And lift your head, it ain’t over yet, ain’t over yet

Lift up your head now, keep walkin’ soldier keep movin’ on
Lift up your head now keep walkin’ until the mornin’ comes
Keep believin’ keep walkin’ soldier keep movin’ on
And lift your head, it ain’t over yet, it ain’t over yet

I am starting to become discouraged because of my limited abilities lately. I tell myself that I am not a burden, but sometimes I do not believe it. Even though it feels like it will never go away, I must remember that this level of pain is not going to be forever. But sometimes when you are in severe pain, that is all you can see and feel and taste, so it can be hard to change your perspective to a healthy one.

I will have a break in the severe pain eventually. I know this. I have begun to notice the rhythms of my pain. I’m learning to go with it instead of fighting every step. I may not be able to change that I am in pain, but suffering is optional.

After all the hoopla in the last post about the opioid symposium last week, I ended up not going to the event. I admit that I was disappointed that I would not be able to make a connection with my state representative, but my mom had a medical event. She is 83, and I am her caretaker. She is self-sufficient usually, but I did not want to leave her until I was sure that it was only a virus and nothing serious.

As soon as I have the time, I will request a visit with my state government officials to discuss how chronic pain affects every aspect of our lives and how their decisions will impact the chronic pain community.

I am not advocating for opioids around the clock for everyone. I want people to understand the reason there is such a backlash from chronic pain patients about wanting their opioids is because the government agencies are leaving us with no alternatives that actually work to replace the pain relieving medicines they want to take away. I believe every person I have spoken to about this issue has said that they would never take another opioid IF they had something else that actually worked to relieve their pain.

We need more research on pain because everyone experiences it differently. How we perceive pain is a complex interaction between mind and body. There is nothing that happens in the individual that affects only the mind or only the body. This interaction involves the nervous system and other factors, which include: genetic, culture, modeling, thoughts, stress, history of abuse, and trauma.

Right now pain research is lacking, but many people are deep in the trenches working tirelessly on changing the fact that we do not have affordable, effective alternative to the opioid medicines. You can also help by telling your story to your elected officials and make them understand our difficult situation, so more money is allocated for studies about pain.

My mom is feeling much better today, and I am getting back into my regular rhythm which helps me to feel the best I can. I have been in extra pain because of the rainy, hot weeks we have been having. Also, I cannot seem to bounce back from the trip to Chicago for the chronic pain support group training. I am pushing the first organized meeting in September. I am praying that I will be able to get everything done in that timeframe.

What positive things do you do when you get discouraged by not bouncing back as fast as you would like from a flare? Do you get impatient and push through the pain or do you realize you need to up the self-care?

There will be an Opioid Symposium on Monday night hosted by my Congressman. I just found out about it, and I’m scrambling to get facts and figures together so I have proof of the information I will be sharing with them if given the opportunity.

To begin to prepare, I called Congressman Rouzer’s office to find out how the chronic pain community will be represented in this setting and what they hope to accomplish.

I spoke with someone that explained that the symposium would have four panels as it relates to opioid stigma, treatment and resources, prevention and law enforcement. Each group represented will have 2-panel experts that will talk for 30 minutes each.

She said one panelist would be a doctor from our hospital, and he “knows chronic pain.”

I respectfully disagreed with her. Unless the doctor is a chronic pain warrior, he can shed no light on the physical and emotional life transitions that being in pain 24/7 brings.

Knowledge of the disease does not portray us. Having pain now and then does not describe us. He cannot begin to understand the suffering of chronic pain with chronic illnesses unless he has lived with it. He cannot represent us on this subject.

She explained to me that it is a complicated discussion and “unfortunately, everything could not be heard in the 2 hours allotted to the discussion,” and that is why no one that has pain is sharing our chronic pain perspective for us. That is unacceptable that we are not part of the equation of the future of opioids, and I intend to change that in the future symposiums.

She became silent when I asked her if Congressman’s Rouzer knew that people are losing the will to live and some lose the chronic pain battle to suicide because the suffering is too high because of the recent changes with opioids.

Her ultimate response was that I needed to have a meeting with his office. They want to hear my perspective which is a beginning.

What are your thoughts as a person of pain about the lack of representation at this event for people with chronic pain?

If you have been negatively affected by this lack of proper treatment or you know of someone that committed suicide because of the untreated physical pain they are in, please send me the information by my Contact Form so I can share with the people that will be shaping the chronic pain communities’ future. Alternatively, email to validatingchronicpain@gmail.com

It does not matter if you live in my district or even in the United States. I want to hear your stories so that I can take this information as far as possible. I will keep it anonymous if requested.

Much Love and Many Prayers
Cindy

If you are struggling with living each day with chronic pain, if you wake up and you think to yourself, you cannot do it again…You can. Just keep going.

Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the USA, anytime, about any type of crisis.

I started writing an ethical will for my three sons a couple of years ago.

I’ve never finished it because I have so much I want to tell them. I just don’t know where to stop.

An ethical will is a way to tell your loved ones your values, blessings, life lessons, hopes, and dreams for the future. It’s simple really.

It can actually be about anything you feel is valuable information to pass down to the next generation, and you do not have to wait to die to pass it on to your family members.

You can give them a copy at any time for any reason, or no reason at all.

It is not a legal document of any kind. It’s just thoughts and things you want to share.

Don’t we all have times when we wish we had one more moment in time to tell that special person something that we value deeply?

Here is just a tiny sampling of things I have written in my ethical will of words of wisdom I want to pass on to my children.

Life is hard no matter what path you go down.

The people beside you are hurting in some way just like you.

That’s just reality.

EVERYTHING depends on how YOU react to it.

You can try to find positive instead of looking for the negative.

It’s harder work, but it pays off with dividends: Joy.

I guarantee you’ll have joy if you learn to ride the wave instead of drowning in the wave.

Much Love and Many Prayers,

Cindy

JULY Chronic Pain Support Group Update:

I am waiting on the final go ahead from the community agency that is allowing me to lead a chronic pain support group at their facility locally.

I will now be making the flyers and cards to give out at doctor’s offices locally and to put up around town.

The dream is slowly coming together. I want to thank everyone that is supporting and encouraging me; specifically, my hubby. This is probably one of the craziest ideas I’ve ever thrown at him but he has never lost a step right beside me. Always & Forever.

Help My Mission of helping others live the best life they can with chronic pain.

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Photo Credit (I could not bring myself to crop the photo – the colors were too awesome- so it is too large but beautiful) by Paul Larkin on Unsplash